Match package



Feb. 9, 1943.

J. DE. GANAHL MATCH PACKAGE Filed July 17, i939 war/W143 Patented Feb. 9, 1943 STTES ATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in match packages.

I have observed that many pipe smokers for convenience adopt the practice of tamping tobacco in the pipe bowl with the match package from which the pipe has been lighted, often using the corner portion of the opened match package and pressing the same with the finger downwardly into the bowl. Better burning is thus promoted and the package cover protects the finger from the ignited tobacco. This practice possesses disadvantages in that the relative rigidity of the cardboard cover of the usual match package prevents any material portion of the body thereof from being pressed into the pipe bowl and, if a square corner of the cover is used for a round pipe bowl, only partial tamping is effected and the finger is inadequately protected. This practice is not therefore very effective, but i rather Widely employed because of its convenience and simplicity.

It is a general object of my invention to structurally modify the ordinary match package to better adapt the same for tamping purposes by pipe smokers.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a match package having, preferably on the front cover portion thereof remote from the matches when the package is open, a flap which may be cut out from but remain hinged to the cover, which flap is designed to be used as a tamper for a pipe bowl when pressed with the finger.

Another object is to provide a hinged flap L- shaped in cross section which may be positioned in a plane spaced from but parallel to the cover.

Another object is to provide a match package having a flap positioned on the cover in such a manner that when the package is closed a portion of the flap may be tucked under the lower match striker tab, together with the free edge of the cover, to prevent the flap from becoming bent or torn from the package.

Another object is to position a fiap upon a match package so that, when the flap is used for tamping purposes, the matches may be held in the hand concealed or shielded from the ignited tobacco in the pipe bowl.

A further object includes the provision of a match package capable of being used in the above manner which has no separate parts added thereto but merely a scored or cut-out portion critically positioned. Thus, h package of my vention may be manufactured with the convenpoint in the course of manufacture a die scoring or cutting operation.

. Fig. 2 with the front cover opened,

tional machinery, simply adding at any suitable 55 Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-214 of Fig. 3, and

5 is a rag n a y P131 Vi w of i m d d fo o t in ent o e r n m re a u a l t t e d a ing. a match package with which my invention may be embodied may have the usual back cover H) and integral hinged front cover I2. An extension of the back cover is reversely bent as alower tab M which is stapled to the back cover as at 16 to secure the matches and serve as a keeper for the free edge of the front cover. The lower tab l4 may be provided with the usual striker surface or plate l8. 3

Coming now to the improvement contemplated by my invention, the front cover 12, remote from the matches when the package is opened, is pro-, vided with a flap 29 having a shank or hinge 22 cut out or perforated in the front cover l2 in such a manner that the flap may be readily pushed outwardly of the cover when pressed with the finger. Scored line 24 along the portion of the shank 22 which is integral with the cover l2 facilitates the hinging of the flap and shank relative to the cover and scored line 26 facilitates hinging of the flap 20 relative to the shank 22 so that the flap may be pushed out into a plane different from that of the cover I2 and substantially parallel thereto. Alternatively, the scored line 26 may be omitted and the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 may be employed.

The flap 20 is disk-like, conforming in shape and size generally to the mouth of a smokers pipe whereby, as illustrated in Fig. 1, it may be pushed with the finger to tamp the tobacco in the bowl of a smokers pipe, to enter the mouth of the bowl if desired, While the portion of the cover bordering the flap, including the free edge l3 of the cover, abuts the edge of the bowl to support the cover thereon.

While the flap 20 may be positioned anywhere on the front cover l2 and hinged thereto in any direction, I prefer the arrangement illustrated wherein the matches may be held in the hand shielded from the ignited tobacco to prevent accidental ignition thereof while the extended front cover I2 and the flap 20 are in convenient position over the pipe bowl for the user to press the flap with his forefinger to tamp the pipe.

It is immaterial whether the flap is initially cut out entirely from the cover or partially connected thereto such as by perforations or scoring which may be broken to free the flap when it is desired to use the same. In either construction, a match package equipped with my invention may be packed and handled in the same manner as the conventional package. Further, by positioning the flap 20 as illustrated, an end thereof may be inserted under the bottom or striker surface flap [4 of the package, together with the free end [3 of the front cover l2 so that the package may be carried in the pocket or otherwise handled without likelihood of mutilating or tearing the flap from the cover.

My invention contemplates that the flap 2!] may be pushed out to extend beyond either the inside or outside surface of the front cover. That is, the matches may be held in the hand either upwardly or downwardly, protected by the palm or fingers in either position.

It will be readily apparent that the extreme simplicity of my novel improvement enables it to be incorporated in any type of match package having a cover or equivalent part to adapt the same for use by pipe smokers merely by adding a perforating, scoring or other cutting operation to define the flap at any convenient point in the course of manufacture of the package.

It is understood that the constructions herein illustrated and described as exemplary of the invention are capable of such modification as may be within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a match package having a hinged front cover and a tab beneath which the free edge of the cover may be tucked when the package is closed, a disk-like flap hinged to said front cover remote from the matches when the package is open and adjacent the free edge of the cover whereby a portion of the flap may be tucked with the free edge of the cover beneath said tab when the package is closed, said flap when swung outwardly of said cover being adapted to be used as a tamper for a smokers pipe.

2. In a match package having a hinged cover,

the combination of a disk-like flap cut out of a portion of said cover remote from the matches when the package is open, a shank cut out of the cover, one end of said shank being integral with said flap and the opposite end being integral with said cover, a scored line adjacent the juncture of said flap and said shank for a hinging axis of said flap relative to said shank, and a scored line adjacent the juncture of said shank and said cover for a hinging axis of said shank relative to said cover, said flap being adapted to be used as a tamper for a smokers pipe.

, 3. In a match package including a back cover and a hinged front cover having a free edge, the combination of a disk-like flap and shank, one end of the shank being hinged to the front cover and one end of the flap being hinged to the shank, the flap being adjacent the free edge of the cover to be remote from the matches when the package is open, said flap conforming in shape and size substantially to the mouth of a smokers pipe bowl.

4. In a match package including a back cover and a hinged front cover having a free end, the combination of a disk-like flap cut out of a portion of said front cover adjacent the free end thereof and remote from the matches when the package is open, and a shank also cut out of the front cover, one end of said shank being integral with and hinged to said flap and the opposite end .being integral with and hinged to said front cover for hinging the flap relative to the front cover, said flap being adapted to be used as a tamper for a smokers pipe.

5. In a match package including a back cover and a hinged front cover having a free end, the combination of a disk-like flap cut out of a portion of said front cover adjacent the free end thereof and remote from the matches when the package is open, and a shank also cut out of the front cover and hinged thereto, one end of said shank being integral with said flap and the opposite end being integral with said front cover for hinging the flap relative to the front cover, and a scored line at the juncture of said fiap and said shank, said fiap being adapted to be used as a tamper for a smokers pipe.

6. A match package comprising a hinged front cover having a free edge remote from the matches when the package is open, said cover having a cut area adjacent its free edge defining a flap and a strip hingedly connected to the flap and the cover, said flap when swung on its hinge outwardly of the cover being remote from the matches and adapted for use as a tamper for a smokers pipe.

JOE DE GANAHL. 

